This position is located in a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service state, area, or field office within a designated state. The incumbent provides engineering assistance working with landowners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices in their area of assigned responsibility. This position is supervised by the State Conservation Engineer.

Duties

Provides technical assistance to other agencies, such as, the Forestry Commission, Extension Service, Farm Service Agency, etc., on soil conservation practices. Performs construction inspections on simple and complex structures for conservation systems and watershed projects. Provides on-site technical assistance and training to field office personnel with a variety of conservation practices that may include ponds, waterways, irrigation systems, agricultural waste management and other conservation practices. Coordinates with engineering specialists in performing USDA quality reviews of conservation practices. Checks engineering work of field office personnel and makes recommendations to next level technician or engineer on individual job approval authorities. Directs collection of field data and assures adequacy of collected data. Sees that procedures and products conform to current service policy and standards. Documents layout and construction in conservation assistance notes or job diary. Certifies completed work to next level technician or engineer. Assembles complete packages of drawings and specifications for jobs. Prepares engineering cost estimates and construction performance time estimates. Completes payment requests and referrals pertaining to work completed for cost sharing. Computes quantities associated with projects designed in the field office. Exercises judgment in selecting and applying standard methods of computation for quantities such as concrete, earth fill, and excavation.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit – Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-10 grade level). Applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: Specialized Experience GS-09: To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-08 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as providing technical assistance, working with landowners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices. Examples of specialized experience include designing engineering practices, preparing engineering drawings, computing quantities, inspecting applied projects, and preparing cost estimates and provides technical assistance on initial planning, design and construction inspection. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS- 09: Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or a master's degree in an engineering, or related field. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience GS-10: To qualify for the GS-10, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-9 level or higher, that has equipped you with the necessary competencies to successfully perform the duties of this position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: 1) Providing technical assistance, working with landowners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices and; 2) Designing engineering practices, and preparing engineering drawings; and 3) Preparing cost estimates and provides technical assistance on initial planning, design and construction inspection. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-10. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Leslie Kinsey
• Email: [email protected]